Curtain-stretcher.



E. L BURGQUiST.

CURTAIN STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

lww zam Patented May 29, 191?.

E. J. BURGQUIST.

CURTAIN STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1916.

IL,%2?,'M%. Patented May 29,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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ERNEST J'. IBURGQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed April 4, 1916. Serial No. 88,843.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ERNEST J. BURG- QUIST, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain Stretchers, of which the following is a speci fication, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to curtain stretchers and more particularly to those which are intended for domestic use. The object of the invention. is to provide a curtain stretcher which may be conveniently folded and extended and which is compactwhen folded, and efficient in service. The invention ac cordingly contemplates a folding frame having all of its parts permanently connect ed. The invention also contemplates an improved fastening means for holding the curtains upon the frame and an improved con struction whereby the fastening devices are concealed when the frame is folded.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figures 1, 2 and 8 are elevations of the folded frame, the said three views showing different sides of the frame,

Fig. 1 is an end view of the folded frame,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, v

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the extended frame,

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views, Fig. 7 showing a fragment of one of the frame members with the improved fastening means mounted thereon, and Fig. 8 showing the improved fastening means separa ted from other parts,

Fig. -9 is an end view of the extended frame,

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 6, r

ig. 11 is a detail rear elevation of the extended frame, and j Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view showing a form of which may be used at the center of the frame.

The extended frame comprises jointed side and end members, generally designated 15, 16 and 17, 18, respectively. A plurality of hooks 19 are arranged along each of the said side and end members for engagement with the margins of the curtains, as X, in the usual we. Preferabl however each of the hooks 19 is of the improved form of construction illustrated in detail in Fig. 8. As shown, each hook 19 is formed from a single piece of wire and comprises a straight stem 20 having an upturned point '21 at one end. The wire extending from that end of the stem 20 which is remote from the point 21, is bent to form a pair of oppositely facing inclined retaining or guide loops 22 and 23.

In the association of the hooks 19 with the side and end members 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the frame, each of the said side and end members of the frame is rabbeted through out its entire length as is most clearly shown at 24, Fig. 10. The rabbeted surface, as 25, of each frame member is then provided with two oppositely inclined longitudinal grooves 26 and 27 for slidingly receiving the guide loops 2-2 and 23 of the books 19, the straight stem 20 of the hook sliding against the said rabbeted surface 25 of the corresponding frame member. Under these circumstances the hooks 19 are readily adjusted along the frame by merely applying lateral pressure to the stem of the hook. Furthermore, the points, as 21, of the hooks, do not at any time project beyond the plane of the front face of the corresponding frame member.

While the side and end members 15, 16 and 17 are connected by clamping bolts, as 28, Fig. 10, there being one of these clamping bolts at each corner of the frame, the construction is preferably such that the frame .may be folded without removing the said bolts. The improved construction preferably also provides that the length and width of the frame may be separately adjusted. As shown, each clamping bolt is threaded at both ends and wing nuts 29 and 30 are applied to the front and rear ends respectively of each bolt. The clamping bolts 28 are also shouldered intermediate their ends, as by being provided with an annularly enlarged portion 31, Fig. 10. In the arrangement shown, the annularly enlarged portion 31 of each clamping bolt 28 runs in a longitudinal dovetailed groove 32, formed in the back of the corresponding side member, as 15. The wing nut 29 accordingly serves for securing the clamping bolt 28 in longitudinally adjustedposition upon the corresponding side member, as 15, while the wing nut 30, serves for securingthe clamping bolt 28 in longitudinally adjusted position upon the corresponding end member, as 17, of the frame.-

It will be understood that the side and end members of the frame are longitudinally slotted adjacent each end, as at 33 and 34, for receiving the corresponding clamping bolt 28 throughout quite a range of adjustment along the same. Also that a washer 35 is associated with each wing nut 29, 30 for spanning the corresponding slot 33 or 34 and permitting the wing nut to secure a firm hold upon the parts of the frame member at opposite sides of the slot. If only one of the wing nuts 29 or 30 be loosened, the length or width of the frame may be ad justed without disturbing any adjustment which may have already been made with respect to the other of the said dimensions of the frame.

The frame will fold to the compact arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, if each of the side and end members 15, 16 and 17, 18 is formed in two parts of equal length as 36 and 37 or 38 and 39, and the two parts of each member are permanently connected by a hinge, as 40 or 41. The hinges 40 fold in a direction which is transverse to the plane of the frame. The hinges 41, on the other hand, fold in a direction which is parallel with the plane of the frame. As a means for holding the two parts 38, 39 of each of the end members 17, 18 in extended position, the two parts of each hinge are formed with a pair of outstanding lugs or wings forming sockets 42 and 43. If now, a supporting leg, as 44, is pivotally supported in the socket 42 and is so formed as to enter the socket 43 when extended, as in Fig. 9, the flexing of the corresponding hinge 41 is effectually prevented when the frame is in use. If desired, a hook 45 may be employed between each of the legs 44 and the adjacent part 39 of the corresponding end member, as 17, to maintain the leg in extended position.

The flexing of the hinges 40, when the frame is in use, is conveniently prevented by providing a stay 46 which lies within and slides in the dovetail groove 32 of one of the parts, as 36, of the corresponding side member 15, 16, for entering the groove 32 of the other part, as 37, of the said side member when the two parts 36, 37 are extended end to end. The extended side members 15 and 16 thus have substantially the same rigidity as if formed in one piece but these members are readily folded upon the hinges 40 if the stays 46 are merely moved longitudinally in the grooves 32 until the whole length of each of these stays is extended at one side of the line of the said hinges. The end members 17, 18, may be folded upon the hinges 41 when the supporting legs 44 are disengaged from the sockets 43, as by being folded against the adjacent part 39 of the corresponding end member, when the hooks 45 have been released.

An intermediate cross stay 47 is preferably provided to prevent bending of the side members 15, 16 by the shrinking of the curtains, as X. In order that this cross stay may not interfere with the folding of the frame it is desirably formed in two parts 48 and 49, of equal length. As shown, the adjacent ends of the two parts, 48 and 49 are rabbeted. When the frame is extended these parts are connected end to end by uniting their rabbeted ends with a clamping bolt, as 50, (Fig. 12). Manipulation of the clamping bolt 50 for uniting and releasing the adjacent ends of the two parts 48 and 49 is facilitated, if the bolt opening, as 53, in one of the parts, is slotted and extends to the end of the member.

Preferably, each part, as 48 (Fig. 11) of the cross stay 47 is permanently connected with the corresponding side member, as 15. For this purpose the two parts 48, 49 of the cross stay 47 are each longitudinally slotted, as at 51, and a clamping bolt 52 (Fig. 11) is centrally extend-ed through the adjacent longitudinal stay, as 46, and through the slotted opening 51 in the corresponding part of the cross stay. Under these circumstances, the folding of the frame requires that the two parts 48 and 49 of the cross stay 47 shall first be separated, as by loosening the clamping bolt 50. If now, the two side members 15, 16 are brought together by flexing the hinges 41 of the end members 17 and 18, and the longitudinal stays 46 are moved endwise until each of such stays is engaged with only one of the two parts 36, 37 of the corresponding side member, the two parts may be brought to the compact arrange ment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 by flexing the hinges 40. A reverse manipulation of the parts serves to extend the frame, and either of these manipulations is easily accomplished by a single operator.

It will be observed that when the frame is folded, the two parts, 36, 37, of each of the side members 15, 16 are brought face to face, and the faces of all of the end parts 38, 39, lie against the backs of the side member parts 36, 37. This arrangement provides that all of the hooks 19 are concealed when the parts of the frame are folded for transportation or storage. The legs 44 serve for supporting the frame after the manner of an easel, this being a favorable position both for the adjustment and the drying of the curtains. When the frame is thus supported, and the cross stay 47 is made of the same length with the end members 1.7, 18, the lower end of the cross stay 47 serves as an intermediate supporting leg. If desired hooks, as 54 (Fig. 1) and 55 (Figs. 2 and 3) may be employed for retaining the parts of the frame in folded position. As shown,

v these hooks operate respectively between the two parts 36 and 37 of one of the side members, as 15, and between the corresponding parts 36 and 37 of the two side members l5, 16.

I claim as my invention,

1. In a curtain stretcher, in combination, a pair of folding side members each comprising a pair of longitudinally grooved sections of like length and a hinge permanently connecting the sections end to end, a stay sliding in the groove of one section of each of the said side members, each stay being movable into the groove of the other section of the corresponding side member when the side members are extended, a pair of folding end members half the length of the said side members and each comprising a pair of sections of like length and a hinge permanently connecting the sections end to end, a pivot permanently connecting each section of each side member and a section of one of the end members, an intermediate brace comprising two sections of like length with the sections of the end members, a pivot permanently connecting each of the said stays and a section of the said intermediate brace and means for detachably connecting the two sections of the intermediate brace end to end.

2. A folding curtain stretcher frame comprising, in combination, side and end members each comprising a pair of rigid sections of like length, the end members being of less length than the side members, a hinge permanently connecting the two sections of each of said members end to end, the side member hinges being constructed to permit folding of each of the side members in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the extended frame and the end member hinges being constructed to permit folding of each of the end members outwardly in the plane of the extended frame and to prevent folding of the end members inwardly in said plane, and sliding pivots permanently connecting the side and end members, the sliding of said pivots being such as to permit the outer end of each end section being brought to a point on the adjacent side section which is removed from the outer end of the said side section a distance equal to the length of the corresponding end section whereby folding of the frame to half the length of the side members without disconnecting the parts is permitted.

3. A folding curtain stretcher frame, comprising, in combination, side and end members, each of the said end members comprising two sections, a hinge connecting the sections of each end member end to end for relative swinging movement in the plane of the extended frame, a supporting leg permanently pivoted to one of the sections of each end member adjacent the corresponding hinge to swing in a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the extended frame and a socket on the other section of each end member for receiving the corresponding leg when extended whereby the said legs serve as locks to prevent folding of the end members when the legs are extended for service.

ERNEST J. BURGQUIST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

